CSR Europe & GRI: Implementation of EU CSR Directive in the EU Member States

GRI, CSR Europe and Accountancy Europe issued a new report that outlines the principal elements of the 28 Member States’ laws, and provides insights on the direction non-financial reporting is headed in Europe. "The Non-financial Reporting Directive signals a new beginning in leveraging the transformative power of transparency." said GRI Chief Executive, Tim Mohin. Full report.

The World Economic Forum (WEF): Global Risks Report 2017

In its 12th edition the Global Risk Report continues to be driven by geo-political risks (large-scale international migration) as well as climate change related matters. Full report.

The World Economic Forum (WEF): Global Risks Report 2016

In its 11th edition the Global Risk Report continues to be driven by geo-political risks (large-scale international migration) as well as climate change related matters. Full report.

The World Economic Forum (WEF): Global Risks Report 2015

Geo-political risks have moved to the top of the perceived risks in the latest report by the World Economic Forum. ‘Interstate conflict’ is now perceived as the most likely risk, with ‘Extreme weather events’ and “Failure of national governance’ in places two and three. In terms of impact respondents now regard Water crises’ as the No1 risk, with ‘Infectious diseases’ and ‘Weapons of mass destruction’ on ranks two and three. Full report.

The EEA: State and Outlook of the European Environment (SOER) 2015

The European Environmental Agency has published its latest report State and Outlook of the European Environment 2015 (SOER 2015). Roughly half way between the start of European Environmental policy in 1970 and the strategic target of 2050 the EEA concludes that much has been achieved, but a lot more remains to be done. Full report.

The GSIA: Global Sustainable Investment Review

In February 2015 the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA) released their ‘Global Sustainable Investment Review' for 2014. In their third report the GSIA finds that assets managed under SRI criteria have grown significantly faster than non-SRI assets since 2012. According to GSIA more assets (58.8%) are now managed under SRI criteria in Europe than under other professional management criteria. Full report.

Nature: Business Culture and Dishonesty in the Banking Industry (Dec 2014)

In their recent study at the University of Zurich (published in the journal Nature, Volume 516, December 2014) researchers Alain Cohn, Ernst Fehr and Michel Maréchal asked 128 employees of a large international bank (50% from a core banking function, 50% from back-offices) to toss a coin in a private environment and report their results. Positive results were rewarded with $20 per event (max. $200). On average, bank employees behaved just as honestly as the control group from non-banking professions. However, once their banking background was rendered salient, a significant portion of bank employees became dishonest. This effect is specific to bank employees because control experiments with employees from other industries and with students show that they do not become more dishonest when their professional identity are rendered salient. Full report.